


Five Steps to Romance

by cryysis



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cocky Kouga, F/M, Nurse Kagome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:26:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29482920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryysis/pseuds/cryysis
Summary: Kouga took a steadying breath, and opened his eyes into slits. When he wasn’t immediately blinded, he blinked and turned his head to see who was in the room with him.Hotdamnshe was pretty.“Am I dead?”Surprised, the woman turned to face him fully. “I sure hope not. Otherwise we’d both be.”Or, four times Kouga asks out his favorite nurse, and the one time she asks him.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/Kouga
Comments: 3
Kudos: 41





	Five Steps to Romance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Madison](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madison/gifts).



> Okay technically it's 4+1 Things, but oh well.
> 
> A couple days late, but with a combination of work and Valentine's Day, I did my best!
> 
> I hope you like it, Maddie!

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_Quiet mutterings, two voices… One he knew, the other he didn’t._

_‘Where the hell am I?’_

His head was pounding steadily, and his mouth felt like it was full of cotton. Christ, how much had he drank last night?

Groaning, Kouga tried to open crusted shut eyes–and then immediately closed them.

Holy hells, that was bright.

“Oof, careful there. You’ve been out for a while.” Something plastic was laid down nearby, and then soft fingers probed gently at his forehead. “Let me get you something to drink, okay?”

His only answer was a grunt, and then the fingers dropped away. There was a few seconds of rushing water before the voice returned and something touched his lips.

“I’ve got a straw for you, just make sure you drink slowly, okay? You don’t want to get sick on top of everything.”

The cool water was a god-send, and whoever was holding it up for him was his new best friend. It was pulled away a moment later, but that was alright. At least his throat stopped screaming at him. His head was another story.

“I’m going to clear some of the crust around your eyes. It might feel a little cold.”

Grunting in acknowledgement, Kouga’s hiss of surprise was quiet but quick. The water was a little warm, but with the cool air it definitely didn’t feel like it.

Swallowing thickly, he finally worked up the presence of mind to say something back. “Where am I?”

The other presence hummed. “You’re at Akitoki Health Center. Your friends brought you in. Do you remember what happened?”

What the hell was he doing there?

“You took a bit of a fall, but you’ll be alright. I think you might have given your friends a scare though.”

… Huh. Must have said that out loud.

The doctor? nurse? whoever it was–finished clearing the gunk from his eyes and dried them off. He could probably try opening them now if he wanted too.

“Son of a _bitch._ ”

Nope. _Bad_ idea. Someone was shining the sun straight into his eyes.

The doctor-nurse-person laughed. “Here, let me dim the lights a bit.”

“’M glad my pain amuses you,” he grumbled, seeing the difference through his lids. “I think I want someone else.”

He didn’t have to see them to hear their smile. “Sure. I’ll go get the janitor for you, I’m sure he’ll be more sympathetic.”

His snort was unkind, and made his head hurt. He still needed to figure out how he’d ended up here.

Kouga took a steadying breath, and opened his eyes into slits. When he wasn’t immediately blinded, he blinked and turned his head to see who was in the room with him.

Hot _damn_ she was pretty.

“Am I dead?”

Surprised, the woman turned to face him fully. “I sure hope not. Otherwise we’d both be.”

His lips quirked in a smile. “I dunno. You look pretty angelic to me.”

She burst out laughing. _Perfect._ He’d have to thank whichever idiot brought him in.

“I think you might need some more sleep. You’re sounding a little loopy.”

“Not sure I want to. Views too nice from here,” he flirted shamelessly.

The nurse (he assumed, the green scrubs seemed like a dead giveaway) shook her head, but she was still smiling. “Your friends should be back soon. I’ll tell them you’re awake.”

“Before you run out on me,” he teased, “any chance I can get some tylenol? My heads killing me.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.” She stepped away to pull something out of an upper cabinet. When she emptied out a few pills for him to take, she glanced over at him and smirked. “With a head as big as yours, I’m surprised you’re not a regular here.”

“Now see, that was just uncalled for.” He tried to sit up, smiling gratefully when she moved to help him. “Here I am being complimentary, and you’re being mean to me.”

“It’s her default setting,” came a sudden voice from the entryway. Short silver hair gave his identity away.

“What the hell are you doing here, Taisho?”

“Making sure your sorry ass doesn’t die,” he answered honestly, straightening and coming into the room. “I can take over from here.”

“No, no you can’t.” Kouga looked at his nurse imploringly. “Don’t leave me with him, I’ll be dead in under a minute.”

Inuyasha’s snort couldn’t hide her laughter. “I think you’ll be okay. But if he gives you any problems, scream and I’ll come running.”

“I won’t give him time to scream.” The male nurse picked up the clipboard next to his bed, reading over his charts. “Your boyfriend’s looking for you, by the way. And yours,” he grinned evilly at his patient, “are on their way. They were worried about you.”

Kouga didn’t see her roll her eyes, but he heard her irritated sigh. “Of course he is. I’d better go see what he wants. It was nice meeting you.”

“Yeah,” he said sadly, “you too.” He smiled when she waved good-bye, watching until the doorway hid her from sight.

“You’re pathetic.”

Kouga’s glare was half-hearted at best. “I hate you. What are you doing here?”

“I work here, moron,” Inuyasha answered snidely, returning the charts to their proper place. “And I wasn’t kidding. Ginta and Hakkaku have been freaking out since they brought you in.”

“Of course they have.” Groaning, he leaned back on the pillows of the hospital bed. “What the hell am I doing here?”

Inuyasha grinned. “Apparently the three of you decided it would be a good idea to sit on the roof of a house after you’d been drinking. You were near the top when one of the steps fell out from under you.” Inuyasha frowned. “Higurashi didn’t tell you?”

“She said I fell, but I didn’t ask for details.” Now that he knew what happened, the memories were starting to come back. That _had_ been a lot of sambuca. “That’s right, I smacked into something.”

“The shed right beneath you.” The male nurse pulled on a pair of gloves and stepped close, pulling at the edge of medical tape holding the bandage in place. He ignored Kouga’s wince, checking the cut for any changes. “When you didn’t wake up, the morons called me. I was getting ready to come in anyway, so I brought you with me.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Kouga said quietly, face twisting as Inuyasha removed the bandage completely to change it. “They still here?”

“I sent them to a gas station about twenty minutes ago. They needed to eat, sober up,” he frowned. “And they were bugging Higurashi. She should have told ‘em to leave, but she’s too damn nice.”

“Higurashi… that the nurse who was in here?”

“That’s her.” A few tears of medical tape, and the bandage was changed. Inuyasha talked as he threw things away. “I had other rounds to make, so she’s been keeping an eye on you.”

“Mm…” biting his lip, Kouga narrowed his gaze. “You said her boyfriend was looking for her. He works here?”

Inuyasha’s snort was loud and amused. “The Doc’s not actually her boyfriend, everyone just calls him that. Dumbass follows her around like a damn puppy. She’s turned him down a few times, but he’s an idiot.” He grinned. “Kinda like you, actually.”

To be annoyed, or be hopeful. If she wasn’t actually seeing anybody, then Inuyasha might be willing to put in a good word for him. But only if he played his cards right. “So she’s single then.”

That made the other male pause. Amber eyes turned back on his sometimes-friend, narrowed suspiciously. “Depends. Why are you asking?”

Damn. The bastard already had his hackles up. “She’s cute.”

“She’s also my best friend and way out of your league.”

“She works in a doctor’s office numb nuts, of course she’s out of my league.” Still, a guy could always hope. He frowned, watching the asshole suspiciously. “You gonna try and kick my ass if I ask her out?”

Inuyasha’s wide smirk was.... More than a little terrifying, actually. “Oh, please do. Give me even more reason to laugh at you.”

Well, at least the bastard hadn’t said no. Otherwise he might be worried.

“Think you need a hospital, or are you good to go?”

“Fuck no. A hospital’s the last thing I need.” Kouga sat up and manfully bit back a groan. “How do I get out of here?”

“You’ll have to stop by the reception desk. They’ll set you up and send you on your way.”

“Let’s go.”

Inuyasha held the door and led him out. After a quick set of directions he set Kouga loose to find his way to the exit.

_Straight down the hall, second left…_ There it was!

And so was Higurashi.

When she saw him, she smiled. “Looks like you made it out alive.”

“Just barely.” Kouga leaned against the counter, his smirk firmly in place. “I had an angel to see.”

Higurashi laughed. “Sure you did.” She looked away from him then to focus on her computer. “You should be fine, but I would rather give you a follow-up appointment just in case.” The nurse chewed her lip as she searched the calendar. How rude would it be to replace her teeth with his? “Is next Tuesday okay with you?”

“Will you be here?”

“For the appointment?” She shrugged lightly. “Not necessarily, but it’s possible. It would depend on my rotation.”

“Annnd if I made a special request for you to be…?”

Her look was suspicious, but more than a little amused. “Sure. I can put it through.”

Kouga’s smirk was wide. “I’d appreciate it. Better you than Taisho. He might try to kill me.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it. So next Tuesday?”

“I’ll be here.”

* * *

[-1]

* * *

The double glass doors opened with a host _hiss,_ but Kouga barely noticed. There was a skip in his step, his grin infectious as he headed for the nurses counter. “Hi there.”

The brunette behind the counter raised a brow. “... Do you have an appointment?”

“That I do. Two o’clock with Hojo.”

The woman typed a few words into the computer and told him to take a seat. But he was too excited to sit, and ended up standing in the corner, bouncing back and forth on his feet.

The door leading to the back rooms opened a few times, nurses calling back various patients. Finally it opened again, and his name was called.

After the basic check up, he was led to an empty room and told to wait. Someone would be with him shortly.

Not even a minute later, the door opened to reveal…

_Not_ … Higurashi.

The smiling doctor seemed oblivious to his patient’s confusion. “Good afternoon, Kouga. So it looks like--”

There was a knock at the door. Before he could get another word out, a silver head popped into view. “Sorry doc, got a message to deliver.” The other man seemed stunned into silence, so Inuyasha turned to Kouga and smirked. “Higurashi says hi.”

“Oh?” The doc looked between the two men. “You know her? Are the two of you friends?”

“No, he only met her last week when he was brought in.” Inuyasha’s smile was wide. Just over his shoulder, Kouga spotted familiar green scrubs and a smile. “Oh, and asshole? Kagome wanted me to tell you--she doesn’t date her patients.”

While the doc scolded Taisho about his attitude, Kouga watched the young woman he’d come here to see wave at him, her eyes were bright with laughter. He shook his head and returned the wave, but inside his heart beat double-time in his chest.

Alright. So she wanted to play?

He could play.

* * *

[-2]

* * *

If there was one thing Kouga was known for, it was being a stubborn son-of-a-bitch. It had been three days since his appointment, which he’d left with a clean bill of health. So since he was officially no longer her ‘patient,’ there was no reason for her to say no to a date.

The lobby was busier than the last time he’d been in, but he was in luck. There was no one waiting at the counter, and low and behold, today Kagome was sitting behind it.

She seemed to realize he was there; she looked up as he headed her way. Her lips turned up in a smile, once again filled with laughter. Probably at him, but he wasn’t going to complain.

When he was close enough, he set a plastic bag on the counter. “Well well, if it isn’t my favorite nurse.”

“Hi to you too Kouga.” She crossed her arms on the lower counter and leaned towards him. “Come to harass Inuyasha?”

“Nope,” he let the ‘ _p_ ’ pop and nodded towards the bag. “I brought lunch.”

“So I see.” She peaked up curiously to try and see through the plastic. “Going on a date?”

“Only if you’re coming with me.”

Kagome laughed. “You don’t give up, do you?”

“Now where would the fun be in that?” He flicked the bag. “Up for a break?”

She hummed lightly. “Depends. What’d you bring?”

“ _Midori’s._ Best sushi place in town.”

Kagome had to bite her lip hard to hide her smile. Problem was, it wasn’t really working. “You’re gonna hate me.”

Kouga shook his head feverently. “Not possible.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the offering apologetically. “I am seriously allergic to seafood… Which means I can’t eat sushi.”

… Well, _shit._

Kouga’s red face was a sight to behold. Slowly, as if trying to keep her from realizing what he was doing, he hid the plastic wrapped food behind his back. “It’s… a good thing I didn’t bring you sushi then.”

Kagome’s smile finally broke into ridiculous, snorting laughter. Kouga would be lying if he said it wasn’t completely adorable. Waving her hand, she tried to quiet it down and speak. “Yeah…” More giggles escaped, “Yeah, it’s a good thing.”

Snorting at his own lack of foresight, Kouga’s grin was self-depreciating, but honest. “I’ve been told on more than one occasion I can be a bit of an idiot.”

“Maybe,” she agreed, breathless but finally under control. Still, she was smiling, bright and happy. “Does that normally work for you? Surprising girls with sushi?”

“I’ve never tried it before, actually,” he confessed easily. “You’d have to tell me.”

“Mm…” she wrinkled her nose teasingly, “Not a great first try I’m being honest.” 

“Duly noted.” Leaning one arm on the counter, he tried his best smirk. “Think you can give me any pointers?”

Still amused, but clearly unimpressed, Kagome quirked a brow and nodded behind him. “Not blocking my actual patients would be a start.”

Kouga blinked and turned, seeing the line now four people deep behind him. Flushing, he quickly stepped to the side, muttering a quiet ‘scuse me’ to the people he’d been in front of. “Yeah, that… might not be a bad idea.”

Amidst the impatient glares and amused smiles, Kagome managed a wink in his direction. “Bye, Kouga.”

He grinned and gave her a two fingered salute.

Then he ran off with his proverbial tail between his legs.

* * *

[-3]

* * *

“Alright, this time, my plan is _foolproof_.”

Standing by the nurses station with a pile of patient charts, Kagome looked more and more amused by the second. He was taking it as a good sign. And at least this time there weren’t any patients waiting behind him.

“I don’t have a lot of time today, so I can only give you…” she twisted her wrist so she could see the time on her watch. “About two minutes, starting now.”

Two minutes? That’d be _plenty._

Oozing confidence, Kouga reached into his back pocket and pulled out his prize. “Two tickets to the movies.”

Kagome perked up in interest. “Oh yeah? What movie?”

“ _I Hide, You Seek.’_ ”

She could remember hearing some of the others talking about that new movie, but she couldn’t remember seeing a trailer for it herself. “What’s it about?”

Kouga scratched the back of his neck with an embarrassed grin. “I’m… actually not sure. Ginta and Hakkaku recommended it. You remember them right? The two idiots who came in with me?”

Kagome grinned. “Right. Your ‘boyfriends,’ according to Inuyasha.” She laughed at Kouga’s immediate scowl. “Do you know what genre it is at least?”

He had to check the tickets to find it. “Tickets say its a horror movie? Rated R, apparently.”

Kagome went pale. “A… h-horror movie?”

Panicking at her sudden shift, Kouga put a hand on her shoulder worriedly. “Woah, are you–”

“Higurashi!” 

Kagome’s head whipped around, spotting Inuyasha coming up to the nurses station. He looked… upset?

“Crap, I forgot! I’m sorry Kouga, I gotta go!”

“Wait, Kagome–” but she disappeared around the corner before he could finish questioning her. Cursing quietly, Kouga frowned in mild irritation and worry. Fucking Taisho and his shitty timing. Speaking of the idiot…

“What the hell are you doing here, Kouga?”

Kouga’s scowl was fierce, arms crossing defensively over his chest. “I was trying to ask Kagome to the movies. Then you had to show your ugly face.”

Inuyasha had the grace to look slightly sheepish. “She’s got a lot to do, otherwise I wouldn’t have hunted her down. I can ask her about it for you when she’s finished?”

Sighing, Kouga bit his lip, looking in the direction she’d run off in worriedly. “Maybe not. She seemed kinda freaked out at the last minute…”

Now it was Inuyasha’s turn to scowl. “What the hell did you say to her?”

“That’s just it! Things were going well until she asked me what kind of movie we were seeing.”

The nurse blinked, more than a little confused. “Don’t tell me you were stupid enough to ask her to a porno or something.”

“Of course not, don’t be a dick. It’s that new horror movie, _I Hide, You Seek._ ”

Inuyasha’s burst of laughter made the entire room jump, staring at him like he was crazy.

The bastard telling him Kagome was a total scaredy-cat about horror movies was… not great.

Damn. Back to the drawing board.

* * *

[-4]

* * *

Smiling, he cracked his knuckles, eager to see her. After four failed attempts, he’d finally gotten his head out of his ass and decided to just ask her on a date. See what _she_ wanted to do, and come up with something they could both enjoy.

He kept his helmet tucked under his arm, nodding at some of the faces he’d come to know. Most returned his greetings, but his focus was on the station straight ahead of him, and the woman he was desperate to see.

But his feet came to a slow stop when the eyes looking back at him weren’t a familiar blue-gray, but a dark brown.

The unfamiliar nurse offered him a kind smile. “Can I help you?”

“Uh, I’m looking for a nurse who works here. Kagome Higurashi?”

Her eyes narrowed, surprised and unsure. “And you are…?”

“Kouga,” he said awkwardly, clearing his throat. “I was… well, technically I wasn’t _her_ patient, but–”

“Oh! Right, right, she told me to expect you.” She started digging through the papers around her and produced a small white envelope. “Sorry, it took me a minute. Kagome’s not here, but she asked me to give this to you.”

“Thanks…” he took the envelope and flipped it around, finding his name on the front. “You mind if I–?”

“No, no, go ahead.”

He nodded gratefully and walked to an empty chair to set down his helmet. The note wasn’t long, but his heart fell as he read.

  
  


_Hi Kouga,_

_I’m so sorry, I forgot_ _to tell you that I have to leave town for a few weeks. My family and I always take an extended vacation around this time of year, and I won’t be back until late next month. I’d give you my number, but there isn’t any service where we’re going, so it’d be a moot point._

_Hopefully I’ll see you when I get back!_

_Kagome_

  
  


He sighed. Damn it all. At least she’d told him.

* * *

[+1]

* * *

The ring of steel circular saws were deafened by the sound proof headphones covering his ears and the plugs beneath them. He was sweating bullets, but Kouga worked methodically, cutting every wooden plank down to size. He only had a few more to go and then he’d be done.

There was a high pitched whistle somewhere above him announcing their lunch break, loud enough to be heard through his head phones. He grinned. Right on time.

He made sure to flip the off switch before fully stepping away from the machine. The headphones came off first, the rush of air a blessing around his sweating ears. Through the plugs he could just make out the far off sound of wolf whistles, which meant some poor woman was passing by the rest of the crew.

He really did like his job, but fuck if these assholes weren’t the physical embodiment of every stereotype he’d ever heard of about construction workers. 

The whistling didn’t stop, but he ignored it and continued pulling off his safety gear. He had an hour for lunch, and there was that burger place not far from the site. Normally he’d be heading to the clinic about now, but he hadn’t gotten the call from Inuyasha about Kagome being back in town yet. And the last thing he wanted was to eat with the crew.

Pulling a rag from his back pocket, Kouga wiped the sweat off his neck and turned to head to the trailer. He’d left his wallet inside, so he’d have to grab it before–

“Well well, look who we have here.”

Kouga’s body  _ jerked, _ Kagome’s voice stopping him dead in his tracks. He turned, sure he was dreaming, but there she stood. Dark jeans, corkscrew heels, and a tube top that resembled a familiar shade of green.

“K-Kagome? You… What are you  _ doing _ here? How did–”

“I took a page out of your book and asked Inuyasha where you worked.” Her cheeks were flushed a fetching shade of pink, and fuck him to hell if she kept  _ biting her lip like that _ he wasn’t going to be responsible for his actions anymore. “You kept showing up at mine, so I thought it was time I returned the favor.”

He was gonna strangle that damn bastard. Right after he sent him a fruit basket. “You know, there’s usually something else that goes along with me showing up at your job.”

“Oh I know,” she said cheekily. “That’s why I made sure to show up when I did. So,” Kagome stepped closer, ignoring the wolf whistling crew behind her. “Since you’re not busy, wanna get something to eat?”

Kouga ducked his head, but not before she saw him smile. “You know I’m never gonna hear the end of this, right? The guys are gonna think I’m whipped.”

She shrugged, her smile teasing. “I’m fine with that. Are you?”

His signature smirk was firmly in place when he tugged her to his chest and caught her mouth in a short but thorough kiss.

  
“Abso- _ fucking _ -lutely.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to say hi, my tumblr is cryysiswritesthings!


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